Fans were surprised when the teams for Saturday’s lunchtime game at the King Power Stadium were confirmed, and £52million signing Keita was named on the bench.

Liverpool fans questioned by Naby Keita was benched against Leicester

The Guinean has impressed with his performances for the Reds and had started in all of their first three games of the season.

But, despite three straight wins, Klopp changed his starting XI for the first time this season on Saturday as Jordan Henderson took Keita’s place in central midfield – the captain making his first start since the summer’s World Cup.

And Klopp revealed to the press ahead of the 12:30pm kick off that it was purely a tactical switch.

“I thought it made sense for the game today,” said the Reds boss.

“We have to [be], if you want, rock solid, in all departments because Leicester is a good football-playing side.

Jordan Henderson made his first start of the Premier League season against Leicester – taking Naby Keita’s place in midfield

“We need to defend very well, to be really compact and all different things, so it helps when the boys are used to this.

“This midfield played pretty much the last third of the last season unchanged, so that’s the reason.